Means for curing artificial dentures



Feb. 19, 1946. F. ALLEN MEANS FOR CURING ARTIFICIAL DENTURE Filed Jan.25, 1943 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 19, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEANS FORCURING ARTIFICIAL DENTURES Frank Allen, New York, N. Y. 7 ApplicationJanuary 25, 1943, Serial No. 473,553

4 Claims. (01. 219-19) This invention relates to a new method and meansfor curing artificial dentures.

The invention particularly proposes the curing of portions of artificialdentures for repair purposes.

Heretofore, when an old denture broke, or when it became necessary toadd artificial teeth to the denture, it was customary to make thenecessary repairs on the denture, and asa final step to place the entiredenture in a curing furnace. With this method the entire denture isheated and becomes distorted. When it is returned to the owner it rarelyfits as well as it did before.

This invention particularly proposes a method and means by which onlythat portion of the denture which has been altered or repaired is heatedfor curing. With this invention the remaining portions are unaffectedand retain their original shape and size.

More particularly, the invention proposes characterizing the new methodof curing artificial dentures by placing an investment, such as plaster,over the area to be cured and then conducting heat to the investment tolocally heat the denture for local curing.

The invention contemplates the use of a strip of good heat conductingmaterial, such as copper, for transferring heat to the plaster or otherinvestment.

Still further the invention proposes the construction of means by whichthis method is very easily carried out.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a. perspective view of means for curing artificial dentures inaccordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one end of the heat conducting stripshown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4-4of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a schematic wiring diagram of the device.

To facilitate the understanding of the invention we shall first concernourselves with the carried out. The means for curing artificialdentures, in accordance with this invention, includes a substantiallyhorizontally supported rod-like shaped heater II). A heat resistantmember II of fireproof material is mounted to the front of the heaterIII. A piece of investment I2, such as plaster, is provided, which isfor the purpose of encasing an area of a denture I3 which is to becured. A strip of good heating material I4 is connected with saidinvestment I2 and with said heater I0. While but one denture and heatconducting strip I4 is disclosed it will be apparent that a number ofdentures may be cured at the same time.

The mechanism has been built into a compact unit. It has been providedwith a base I4 on the back portion of which there is a casing I5 forhousing the various electrical units required for operating the heater.This casing I5 has a top panel I6 upon which a rheostat IT, a timeswitch I8, a manual operable switch I9, and a signal lamp 2|) aremounted. A pair of parallel arms 2| is mounted on the sides of thecasing I5 and extends frontwards. The rod-like shaped heater I0 isremovably mounted between the ends of the arms 2|. The base I4 isprovided with a transverse groove 22 in which the heat resistant memberII is mounted and supported. The heater I0 may comprise a metal tube 23housing a heater winding 24. This heater winding connects with endsockets 25 which in turn are connected with the necessary cables 26,preferably extended through the arms 2| to the interior of the casingI5. The arms 2| are releasably supported by screws 26 so that they maybe slightly loosened to disengage the sockets 25 so that the heater maybe removed.

A very simple electrical circuit is illustrated in Fig. 5, but this ismerely for convenience in disclosing the invention. Other circuits, andcircuits for other types of current may be used provided that therod-like shaped heater III is capable of being heated to a propertemperature.

In the simple form of the invention shown in,

Fig. 5 the heater I0, rheostat II, switch I9 and signal lamp 20 areshown connected in series.

The movement I2 may comprise plaster of Paris. The conducting materialI4 may comprise a strip of copper. One end of this strip is providedwith an opening 28 for some of the investment to engage in, to betterconnect these parts. The other end of the strip I4 is formed with a coilportion 29 adapted to hook on to the means or mechanism by which themethod is heater I0.

The method of curing an artificial denture, in accordance with thisinvention is as follows:

The denture I3 is repaired in the usual Way. Then instead of placing theentire denture in a furnace or oven for the final heat curing step, therepaired portion is encased with the investment I2. The end of the heatconducting material I4 is embedded in the investment I2 which is thenallowed to harden. The heater ID is then set into operation and thedenture I3 with the projecting heat conducting material I4 is supported,as illustrated in Fig. l. The heat from the heater It will readilytravel through the conducting strip I4 and heat the investment I2 andthe encased portion of the denture I3. When the encased portion of thedenture has been elevated to the proper temperature, the conductor stripI4 is unhooked from the heater I and is allowed to cool. The investmentI2 is then chipped off and the denture I3 is finished.

While I have illustrated and described the pre 'ferred'embodimentsofmyinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and the right'is reserved to allchanges and modifications coming within the scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. Means for curing artificial dentures, comprising asubstantiallyhorizontal rod-like shaped heater supportedat'its endportions and being free intermediate 'of'itsen'd portions, a heatresistant strip-like member mounted to the front and substantiallyparallel to and slightly below said rod-like heater, and a strip of goodheat conducting material adapted to be connected at the front end with adenture and having'its rear end portion curved for partially embracingsaid heater and extending forwards and across said'strip-like memberwhich acts like a fulcrum for supporting said strip generally horizontalwith its curved portion pressed upwardly against said heater.

2. Means "for curing artificial dentures, comprising a substantiallyhorizontal l'od like shaped heater supported at its end portions andbeing free intermediate of its end portions, a heat resistant strip-likemember mounted to the front and substantially parallel to and slightlybelow said rod-like heater, and a strip of good heat conducting materialadapted to be connected at the front end with a denture and having itsrear end portion curved for partially embracing said heater andextending forwards and across said strip-like member which acts like afulcrum for supporting said strip generally horizontal with its curvedportion pressed upwardly against said heater, said heater including ametal rod and an internal electric winding.

'3. Means for curing artificial dentures, comprising a substantiallyhorizontal rod-like shaped heater supported at its end portions andbeing Ireeintermediate of its end portions, a heat resistant strip-likemember mounted to the front and substantially parallel to and slightlybelow said rod-like heater, and a strip of good heat conducting materialadapted to be connected at the front end with a denture and having itsrear end portion curved for partially embracing said heater andextending forwards and across said strip-like member which acts like afulcrum 'i'or supporting said strip generally horizontal with its curvedportion pressed upwardly against said heater, said heat resistant memberbeing a board of fireproof material.

4. Means for curing artificial dentures, comprising a substantiallyhorizontal'rod-like shaped heater supported at its end portions andbeing free intermediate of its end portions, a heat-resistant strip-likemember mounted to the 'front and substantially parallel 'to and slightlybelow said rod-like heater, and a strip of good heat conducting materialadapted to'be connected at the front end with a denture and having itsrear end portion curved for partially embracing-said heater andextending forwards and across said strip-like member which acts like afulcrum for supporting said strip generally horizontal with its curvedportion pressed upwardly against said heater, said strip comprising astrip of metal.

FRANK ALLEN.

